The present invention relates to a transmit diversity method and system for a wireless communication system, such as the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) comprising a transmitting element and at least one receiver.
Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) has been chosen as the radio technology for the paired bands of the UMTS. Consequently, WCDMA is the common radio technology standard for third-generation wide-area mobile communications. WCDMA has been designed for high-speed data services and, more particularly, Internet-based packet-data offering up to 2 Mbps in indoor environments and over 384 kbps for wide-area.
The WCDMA concept is based on a new channel structure for all layers built on technologies such as packet-data channels and service multiplexing. The new concept also includes pilot symbols and a time-slotted structure which has led to the provision of adaptive antenna arrays which direct antenna beams at users to provide maximum range and minimum interference. This is also crucial when implementing wideband technology where limited radio spectrum is available.
The uplink capacity of the proposed WCDMA systems can be enhanced by various techniques including multi-antenna reception and multi-user detection or interference cancellation. Techniques that increase the downlink capacity have not been developed with the same intensity. However, the capacity demand imposed by the projected data services (e.g. Internet) burdens more heavily the downlink channel. Hence, it is important to find techniques that improve the capacity of the downlink channel.
Bearing in mind the strict complexity requirements of terminals, and the characteristics of the downlink channel, the provision of multiple receive antennas is not a desired solution to the downlink capacity problem. Therefore, alternative solutions have been proposed suggesting that multiple antennas or transmit diversity at the base station will increase downlink capacity with only minor increase of complexity in terminal implementation.
According to the WCDMA system, a transmit diversity concept is under consideration which is mainly focused on the closed-loop (feedback) mode.
FIG. 1 shows an example of such a feedback mode for a downlink transmission between a base station (BS) 10 and a mobile terminal or mobile station (MS) 20. In particular, the BS 10 comprises two antennas A1 and A2, and the MS 20 is arranged to estimate the channel on the basis of two transmission signals received from the two antennas A1 and A2. Then, the MS 20 feeds back the discretized channel estimate to the BS. Naturally, it is desired to develope a robust and low-delay feedback signaling concept.
In WCDMA, three modes are suggested for the closed-loop concept which is optimized for two antennas. In the feedback (FB) mode 1 (also referred to as Selective Transmit Diversity (STD)), one bit per time slot is used to signal the xe2x80x9cbestxe2x80x9d antenna from each terminal. The remaining closed-loop FB modes 2 and 3 provide a slower feedback link, where feedback weights used for controlling the antennas A1 and A2 are modified after two or four 0.625 ms slots, respectively. In this case, the antennas A1 and A2 are co-phased so that transmitted signals sum up coherently in the MS 20, to thereby provide the best performance with low mobility xe2x80x9clow multipathxe2x80x9d environments.
FIG. 2 shows a table indicating characteristic parameters of the above FB modes 1 to 3. In particular, NFB designates the number of feedback bits per time slot, NW the number of bits per feedback signaling word, Na the number of feedback bits for controlling an amplification or power at the antennas A1 and A2, and Np the number of feedback bits for controlling a phase difference between the antennas A1 and A2. As can be gathered from the table of FIG. 2, one bit is fed back per time slot in each of the FB modes 1 to 3.
In the FB mode 1 (i.e. STD), the bit length of the feedback signaling word is one bit, which leads to an update rate of 1600/s (i.e. an update is performed at the BS 10 in every time slot). The feedback bit rate is 1600 bps and the feedback signaling word is used for controlling the power supplied to the antennas A1 and A2.
In the FB mode 2, the feedback signaling word comprises two bits, which leads to an update rate of 800/s, since an update is performed after both feedback bits have been received, i.e. after two time slots. The feedback-signaling word is only used for controlling the phase difference between the two antennas A1 and A2.
In the FB mode 3, the bit length of the feedback signaling word is four, such that an update rate of 400/s is obtained, i.e. an update is performed every four time slots. In particular, one bit of the feedback signaling word is used for controlling the amplification (power) at the antennas A1 and A2, and three bits are used for controlling their phase difference.
FIG. 3A shows a table indicating the feedback power control performed in the FB mode 1 or STD. Here, the MS 20 has to estimate the antenna with the smallest path loss. To this effect, the MS 20 estimates the channel power of all xe2x80x9ccompeting antennasxe2x80x9d, and determines the one with the highest power. The required channel estimates are obtained e.g. from a common pilot channel transmitted with a known power from each antenna. The table in FIG. 3A shows the relationship between the feedback value and the power PA1 supplied to the antenna A1 and the power PA2 supplied to the antenna A2. Accordingly, one of the two antennas A1 and A2 is selected at the BS 10 in response to the feedback signaling value.
It is to be noted that the FB mode 1 may be implemented in an analog manner in the beam domain. In this case, the MS 20 signals to the BS 10 whether to rotate channel symbols transmitted from the antenna A2 by 180xc2x0. In this case, the BS 10 transmits simultaneously from both antennas A1 and A2. Thus, the phase difference between the antennas A1 and A2 is switched between 0xc2x0 and 180xc2x0 in response to the feedback value.
The other FB modes 2 and 3 relate to a feedback concept referred to as Transmission Antenna Array (Txc3x97AA), in which the MS 20 transmits estimated and quantized channel parameters to the BS 10 which then weights the transmitted signals accordingly.
FIG. 3B shows the feedback control performed in the FB mode 2. In the FB mode 2, only a phase weight feedback value comprising two bits is fed back to the BS 10. The phase difference indicated in the table of FIG. 3B defines the phase difference (in degree) between the antennas A1 and A2, which is to be established by the BS 10 in order to obtain an optimum coherence at the MS 20.
FIG. 3C shows the feedback control of the FB mode 3, wherein one bit, i.e. amplification bit, of the feedback signaling word is used for controlling the power of the antennas A1 and A2, and the other three bits, i.e. phase bits, are used for controlling the phase difference between the antennas A1 and A2. The left-hand table indicates the power control based on the amplification bit, wherein the power PA1 and PA2 supplied to the antennas A1 and A2, respectively, is switched between 20% and 80% of a predetermined value. The right-hand table shows the feedback control based on the three phase bits, wherein the phase difference can be quantified into eight different phase difference values to be established by the BS 10 in order to obtain an optimum coherence in the MS 20.
As regards the table of FIG. 2, it is to be noted that an equal power is applied to the antennas A1 and A2 in each case where Na=0. Furthermore, the antennas A1 and A2 are uniquely defined by their respective pilot codes of the CCPCH (Common Control Physical Channel) of the UMTS. The derived amplitude and phase applied to the antennas A1 and A2 is called a weight and the set of weights is grouped into a weight vector. Specifically, the weight vector for the present case of two antennas is given by       w    _    =      [                            P          A1                                                  P            A2                          ·                  exp          ⁡                      (                          j              ⁢                              xe2x80x83                            ⁢              π              ⁢                              xe2x80x83                            ⁢              Δ              ⁢                              xe2x80x83                            ⁢                              ϕ                /                180                                      )                                ]  
wherein xcex94"PHgr" denotes the phase difference (phase weight) fed back to the BS 10. In case the dimension of w becomes larger than two, more than two antennas, i.e. an antenna array, are required, wherein a directional antenna is achieved by using relative phases between antennas. The estimated phase of the feedback signal in the complex plane is then used for controlling the transmit direction.
Hence, the current WCDMA transmit diversity feedback concept uses a 2, 4 or 8 phase constellation to signal the channel difference to the BS 10. However, the higher channel resolution provided by a higher constellation order is obtained at the expense of feedback signaling capacity. Thus, the resolution of the feedback signaling is limited by the feedback signaling capacity. Furthermore, the current concept imposes a delay of one or more slots in executing the weight change and this restricts applicability only to very slow fading channels.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for transmit diversity or transmit beamforming, by means of which the resolution of the feedback signaling can be increased without increasing the feedback signaling capacity.
This object is achieved by a transmit diversity method for a wireless communication system comprising a transmitting element and at least one receiver, said method comprising the steps of:
transmitting from said transmitting element to said at least one receiver a transmission signal in accordance with a weight information determined in response to a feedback information;
deriving said feedback information from the response at said at least one receiver to said transmission signal;
feeding back said feedback information using multiplexed feedback signals.
Additionally, the above object is achieved by a transmit diversity system for a wireless communication system, comprising:
transmitting means for transmitting a transmission signal from a transmitting element in accordance with a weight information determined in response to a feedback information; and
at least one receiver for receiving said transmission signal and deriving said feedback information from the response to said transmission signal;
wherein said at least one receiver comprises a feedback means for feeding back said feedback information using multiplexed feedback signals.
Furthermore, the above object is achieved by a transmitter for a wireless communication system, comprising:
extracting means for extracting a feedback information from a received signal;
transmitting means for transmitting a transmission signal from a transmitting element in accordance with a weight information;
determining means for determining the weight information in response to the extracted feedback information; and
control means for controlling the determining means so as to determine said weight information in accordance with multiplexed feedback signals used for feeding back said feedback information.
Moreover, the above object is achieved by a receiver for a wireless communication system, comprising:
receiving means for receiving a transmission signal;
deriving means for deriving a feedback information from the response to said transmission signal; and
feedback means for feeding back said feedback information using multiplexed feedback signals.
Accordingly, the transmit resolution can be enhanced by maintaining the feedback channel resolution and capacity signaled from the receiver and performing a suitable feedback filtering at the transmitter in accordance with the time-varying feedback signal constellation. Thereby, the effective resolution of the total feedback signaling can be improved while maintaining the signaling channel capacity, since the feedback information can be divided and spread over different sets of time slots in accordance with the time-varying signal constellation, or by using multiple different constellations. The filtering is applied to at least two subchannels. The transmitting signal may comprise a probing signal used for channel measurements and channel quantization and an information transmitted via the dedicated channel on the basis of the transmit weights.
According to the invention, multiplexed feedback signals can be used for representing the quantized state of the channel. Thereby, the type, coding, partitioning or allocation of the feedback signals may differ in different multiplex subchannels defined by a time division, frequency division, or code division multiplexing scheme.
Thus, the weights applied to the antennas A1 and A2 can be demultiplexed from the feedback channel and need not be identical with the feedback signaling of the current time slot received from the receiver. In particular, a multiplex timing can be arranged such that the current FB modes still can be established. Each subchannel may independently define a basic resolution, and the subchannels may jointly define an increased resolution. According to the invention, at least two feedback subchannels are used. The multiplexed feedback signals are demultiplexed at the transmitting element and then filtered in order to obtain the desired transmit weights. Thus, a flexible feedback concept is achieved, in which the transmit weights are derived from the feedback signals but need not match them exactly.
Furthermore, a higher transmit weight resolution and robustness can be achieved e.g. by multiplexing different feedback signals which are to be combined in a suitable way, e.g. by a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filtering or an Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filtering, at the transmitter. The filtering can also take into account the reliability of the received feedback signals. Then, the filter can determine the weights based on a higher weighting of the reliable feedback signals. Therefore, the present FB mode 3 can be achieved, since it can be established on the basis of e.g. the present FB mode 2 by multiplexing two different feedback signals and filtering them suitably. In this case, the feedback signaling and the channel estimation can be maintained, while slightly changing the feedback signal determination. However, no changes are required to the common channels.
The length of the filter impulse response should be matched to the channel characteristics (e.g. Doppler spread) in the sense that longer filters can be used when channel changes are slow. The type of filter can be determined from the received signal or it can be negotiated between the transmitter and the receiver. Furthermore, the demultiplexing and subsequent filtering can be performed on the feedback signal or on the transmit weights to which the feedback signals correspond, or both. In particular, gain and phase information can be filtered separately or jointly. The filter can operate as a predictor, so that transmit weights can be predicted based on the available smoothed information until the command is transmitted, current weights and/or previous weights and/or received feedback commands. In addition, the filtering can be linear or non-linear. Furthermore, a robust filtering, e.g. using a median filtering, can be applied, which is preferred, since feedback errors may cause xe2x80x9coutliersxe2x80x9d weights, i.e. erroneous weights due to a wrong index rather than an estimation error in determining the index/quantization.
Hence, the channel is quantized to a plurality of feedback signal quantization constellations, and each quantized value is transmitted via different multiplexed feedback subchannels. Thereby, a user may use different channel quantization constellations at different quantization intervals which may possibly overlap. The different quantization constellations may be independent, e.g. suitable rotations of each other, or may be formed in a dependent or hierarchical manner by a set partitioning, wherein the dependent constellations are jointly used to define the feedback signal with increasing accuracy (e.g. the first two bits transmitted in a first subchannel may designate a weight quadrant, and the third bit transmitted in a second subchannel may specify one of two weight points within the weight quadrant). Furthermore, different quantization constellations can be provided for different users.
Preferably, the multiplexed feedback signals may comprise a first feedback signal having a first constellation and a second feedback signal having a second constellation. The first and second feedback signals may be transmitted in different time slots and/or by using different codes.
The first feedback signal may define a first phase weight determined on the basis of a channel estimate, and the second feedback signal may define a second phase weight determined on the basis of a rotated constellation. In particular, the second phase weight may be based on a rotated channel estimate of the same constellation, or on a rotated channel estimate of another constellation, or on the basis of a quantization of the channel estimate to the second (rotated) constellation. The first and second feedback signals may be fed back in successive time slots. Moreover, the first feedback signal may define a real part of the weight information, and the second feedback signal may define an imaginary part of the weight information.
Alternatively, the first feedback signal may define a first feedback information to be used for updating a first beam of the transmitting element, and the second feedback signal may define a second feedback information to be used for updating a second beam of the transmitting element. In this case, the first feedback signal can be fed back during odd time slots and the second feedback signal during even time slots. The odd and even time slots may be used for controlling the same antenna (when the channel difference is used) or a first antenna and a second antenna, respectively, in different time instants. In the latter case, the first and second antennas are alternately used as a reference. Controlling both antennas, e.g. by transmitting control commands in an alternate manner to the transmitting element, is preferred in cases where the effective transmitting power of the controlled antenna can be reduced by the filtering. When both antennas are generally controlled, the effective transmitting power is distribuited evenly and this simplifies the designs of a provided power amplifier. Another possible solution is to use transmit diversity techniques where different users may control different antennas.
Furthermore, the first feedback signal may define a quadrant in a 4-PSK constellation, and the second feedback signal may define a constellation within said quadrant defined by said first feedback signal. The second feedback signal may define a differential change, a Gray-encoded sub-quadrant, or a combination thereof.
The multiplexed feedback signals may be transmitted by at least two users having different feedback signal constellations. Thereby, a flexible and readily adaptable transmit diversity system can be achieved. The at least two users may comprise a first set of users controlling weights at a first antenna of the transmitting element, and a second set of users controlling weights at a second antenna of said transmitting element. In this case, a useful balancing of the transmitting power between the first and second antennas can be provided, since some filtering or demultiplexing techniques may result in lower transmission power requirements at the controlled antenna
Furthermore, the control means provided in the transmitter may comprise a switching means for alternately switching the first feedback signal and the second feedback signal to the determining means. The determining means may be arranged to derive the weight information from the first and second feedback signal.
Moreover, the control means may be arranged to control the transmitting means so as to alternately update a first beam of the transmitting element by using a first weight information determined on the basis of the first feedback signal, and a second beam of the transmitting element by using a second weight information determined on the basis of the second feedback signal.
The transmitting element may be an antenna array. In this case, the feedback information can be used for controlling the direction of transmission of the array antenna. The transmission direction may be derived from at least one of the multiplexed feedback signals. Furthermore, the transmission direction may be derived from a phase estimate obtained from at least one feedback signal.
Furthermore, the deriving means of the receiver may comprise extracting means for extracting a probing signal transmitted with a known power, channel estimation means for performing a channel estimation on the basis of the extracted probing signal, and generating means for generating the multiplexed feedback signals on the basis of the channel estimation. The generating means may be arranged to generate the first and second feedback signal, wherein the feedback means may be arranged to feed back the first and second feedback signals as the multiplexed feedback signals. The first and second feedback signals may be fed back alternately by the feedback means, wherein a quantization of the feedback information is based on the latest channel estimate and an available one of the first and second constellation.
Moreover, the generating means may be arranged to generate the first feedback signal based on the channel estimate and the second feedback signal based on a rotation of the channel estimate by a predetermined angle. This can be implemented also by quantizing the same channel estimate to two constellations where, in this case, the second one is a rotated copy of the first one.
Alternatively, the generating means may be arranged to generate the first feedback signal based on a real part of the feedback information, and the second feedback signal based on an imaginary part of the feedback information.
As a further alternative, extracting means may be arranged to alternately extract a probing signal corresponding to a first beam and a probing signal corresponding to a second beam, and the generating means may be arranged to alternately generate the first feedback signal based on a channel estimate for the first beam, and the second feedback signal based on a channel estimate for the second beam.